The Devil (Arcanum XV) — the fifteenth Major Arcanum of the Tarot deck, symbolizing addiction, self-limitation and the power of the shadow sides of the psyche. This is one of the most misunderstood cards in the deck: The Devil does not mean external evil or a curse. It means the chains that we have placed on ourselves and that we ourselves can remove. Element — Earth 🌱, sign — Capricorn, planet — Saturn.
The strongest prison is the one inside, and the keys to its doors are yours!
The Card in Numbers 📋
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | The Devil / Baphomet / Dark Tempter / Lord of Chains / Horned Ruler / Temptation / Shadow / Black God / Horned One / 恶魔 |
| Group | Major Arcanum |
| Position | The Fifteenth Major Arcanum |
| Element | Earth 🌱 |
| Sign / Planet | Capricorn / Saturn |
| Key words (upright) | Addiction, limitation, shadow, temptation, materialism, chains, manipulation |
| Key words (reversed) | Liberation, breaking of chains, awareness of patterns, shadow work, awareness or rejection of addiction |
Symbolism and Imagery of the Card 🖼️
On the card, a horned, winged Baphomet sits atop a half-cube. Chained to the pedestal by loosely hanging chains are two figures — a man and a woman, the same figures as on Влюблённые card. The man has a tail with a tongue of flame. The woman has a tail with clusters of grapes. On the forehead of The Devil is an inverted pentagram. Wings like those of a bat. The right hand is raised in a gesture that is the reverse of the Hierophant's blessing. 🦇Arthur Edward Waite («Pictorial Key to the Tarot», 1910) included a key detail in this card that is easy to miss: the chains hang loosely around the necks of the figures. They are not locked tight. They can be removed at any moment. Both prisoners remain by their own choice — or, more precisely, by their own unconscious refusal to free themselves, to look the truth in the eye.
The figures of the Lovers in chains are a direct reference to Arcanum VI. Waite showed that a conscious choice (Влюблённые) can turn into unconscious slavery (The Devil) if a person stops understanding why they do what they do.
Aleister Crowley («The Book of Thoth», 1944) reinterpreted this card through the image of Pan — the ancient Greek god of wild nature, instincts, and primal life force. For Crowley, The Devil is not evil, but an untamed vitality that becomes destructive only when it remains unconscious and unintegrated. Read more about different versions of Tarot decks →
Paul Foster Case («The Tarot: A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages», 1947) linked the card to the Hebrew letter Ayin — «eye», a symbol of material sight. The Devil sees only the material world, and it is precisely this limitation of vision that keeps one captive. ☝🏽
Upright Meaning of the Card ✨
The Devil in an upright position is a card of becoming aware of the trap a person finds themselves in. 🌟 This is not a sentence or a curse — it is a mirror showing what is usually hidden from view. Codependent relationships, destructive behavior, manipulation from the outside, self-interest, fear, pressure — everything that we do not realize or are afraid to admit to ourselves. The card shows: you may find yourself in a trap right now.The trap can be different: a destructive relationship that is impossible to leave. An addiction — to a substance, a person, status, or approval. A belief that rules life but has never been recognized as a belief. A fear that has long since become the norm. Manipulations for selfish purposes, dishonest intentions.
Rachel Pollack («Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom», 1980) emphasized that the important question when seeing this card is not «who is to blame?», but «how long have the chains been so familiar that they stopped being felt?». The Devil appears in a reading precisely when it is time to see this. And this vision itself is already the beginning of liberation. 💫
In the upright position, the card says:
✔ There is an addiction, pattern, or belief that rules you unnoticed
✔ The chains are real, but not as strong as they seem
✔ Material temptations or fears cloud clarity
✔ The shadow side of a situation or a person comes to light
✔ The first step to freedom is to admit that the chains exist
Reversed Meaning of the Card 🔄
The reversed Devil is the beginning of liberation or, conversely, an reinforcement of denial. 😔The first option is liberation and the breaking of chains. A person has finally seen the trap and begun to get out of it. This is not an instantaneous process, but the movement has started. Awareness of the pattern is already the beginning of the work. This is one of the most encouraging options for a reversed Devil!
The second option is reinforced denial. The trap is there, the chains are there, but the person categorically refuses to see them. «I don't have a problem». «I do this voluntarily». «I like it». The reversed Devil warns: denial does not free you, it buries you deeper. 👀
In the reversed position, the card says:
☑ The beginning of liberation from an addiction or destructive pattern
☑ Awareness of the trap is the first step to getting out of it
☑ Or conversely: reinforced denial and unwillingness to see the obvious
☑ Working with the shadow sides of oneself yields results
The Devil in a Love and Relationship Reading ❤️
In a love reading, The Devil is one of the most honest and painful cards. 💫If you are in a relationship: the card indicates dependent, toxic, or codependent dynamics in the couple. One of the partners (or both) stay together not out of love, but out of fear, habit, addiction, or benefit. The chains are real, but look: they hang loosely. You stay by your own choice. The question is: is this a conscious choice or an unconscious fear of loneliness? Want to understand your couple deeper? Take a look at the Compatibility Calculation on our website →
If you are searching: The Devil speaks of a repeating destructive pattern in the choice of partners. You attract the same «type» again — and are surprised by the result again. The card suggests honestly looking at what exactly in you attracts this type of relationship. Read more about typical mistakes in relationships →
If you came with a question about your partner's feelings: their attachment to you may have elements of addiction, and not always healthy. Or vice versa: your attachment to them contains elements that are worth exploring honestly. The card often indicates manipulation — mutual or on the part of the partner. 🔗
The Devil in a Career and Work Reading 💼
In a career reading, The Devil is a signal of a trap in the professional sphere. 🌿A job that holds you through fear rather than through vocation. A toxic environment from which it is «impossible to leave». Financial dependence that deprives you of freedom of professional choice. The card asks directly: are you here because you want to be — or because you are afraid to leave? The card is a marker of an unhealthy environment or internal dependence.
The Devil card can also indicate the gambling business, the sex industry, fraud, or dishonest earning schemes. Also — an obsession with work: workaholism as a way to avoid meeting oneself. Read more about frequent requests to a Tarot reader →
The Devil in a Finance Reading 💰
In a financial reading, The Devil is a card of material dependence and the consumer trap. 💸Debts, loans, financial obligations that deprive you of freedom. Obsession with money or status. Life for the sake of the material that has lost its meaning. Dishonest schemes and earnings.
The card also warns against financial traps: loans with unfavorable conditions, dubious investments, business partners with hidden interests. A reversed Devil in finance is a good sign of the beginning of liberation from financial shackles: paying off debts, getting out of unfavorable obligations. Find out about favorable price packages →
Card of the Day: What It Means If The Devil Fell Out Today 🌤️
If The Devil is your card of the day, today it is worth taking a closer look at your habits and addictions: what holds you not out of love or interest, but out of fear, habit, or benefit? A good day to honestly call things by their names — without judgment, but also without self-deception.It is also an appropriate day to notice manipulations — your own or others' — and think about exactly where you allow fear or temptation to rule decisions instead of a clear choice.
If the card fell out reversed — it can mean that you have already begun to see your chains and are taking the first steps to liberation, or, conversely, it is worth checking if you are denying an obvious problem too stubbornly. Want to know your card for today? Take a look at the Card of the Day on our website →
Psychological Portrait of the Card 🧠
Carl Gustav Jung («Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self», 1951) described the Shadow — that part of the psyche that we reject, suppress, and project onto others. The Devil is the Shadow in its most concentrated form: everything that we refuse to acknowledge in ourselves, gathered into one image. Read more about the connection between Tarot and psychology →The paradox of the Shadow according to Jung: the more we deny it, the more it rules us. A person who never gets angry creates a monster of anger inside themselves. A person who denies their sexuality becomes obsessed with it. A person convinced of their lack of interest in money is secretly controlled by it.
Carl Gustav Jung («The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious», 1959) said that the only way out of the power of the Shadow is not to fight it, but to integrate it. To recognize greed in oneself — and learn to manage it. To recognize aggression in oneself — and direct it constructively. To recognize addiction — and start working with it.
Rachel Pollack («Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom», 1980) emphasized that in this, The Devil card is paradoxically kind to a person. It does not judge — it shows. And this showing itself, however painful it may be, is an act of liberation. A chain that is seen ceases to be an invisible prison. 💡
Related Cards 🔗
This card resonates with:▷ Lovers (VI) — a conscious union that has turned into unconscious dependence or manipulation
▷ The Tower (XVI) — the next card: what happens when the chains of The Devil break suddenly and violently
▷ The Moon (XVIII) — the same theme of unconscious fears and illusions, but in a softer manifestation
In complex positions, pay attention to the combination with:
➤ Eight of Cups — leaving a dependent relationship as an act of courage
➤ Three of Swords — the pain of betrayal, feeding addiction and keeping one in it
Combination of The Devil with Other Cards 🔗
✺ The Devil + The Empress — care and generosity are distorted into dependence: love is used as a form of attachment or control.✺ The Devil + The Emperor — the risk that power and control turn into dependence and tyranny over oneself or others.
✺ The Devil + The Hierophant — tradition as a prison: rules that keep you in a cage out of fear, not conviction.
✺ The Devil + Strength — inner power is suppressed by addiction, aggression, or fear; the lion has broken out of control.
✺ The Devil + reversed The Tower — a rigid system built on dependence holds on with its last strength and requires review before collapsing completely.
Advice of the Card 💬
«Look at your chains. They hang loosely. You could always remove them. You just never looked honestly enough.»
Frequently Asked Questions about The Devil Card ❓
What does The Devil card mean in Tarot? The Devil (Arcanum XV) is the fifteenth Major Arcanum of the Tarot deck, symbolizing addiction, self-limitation and the power of the shadow sides of the psyche. Arthur Edward Waite («Pictorial Key to the Tarot», 1910) depicted a key detail: the chains on the necks of the figures hang loosely and can be removed at any moment. The card is not about external evil — it is about self-imposed shackles. It is associated with the element of Earth 🌱, the sign of Capricorn and the planet Saturn.Is The Devil in Tarot a bad card? The Devil is one of the most honest cards in the deck, but not «bad» in the literal sense. In the upright position, it shows an addiction, pattern, or belief that rules a person unnoticed. Rachel Pollack («Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom», 1980) emphasized that this showing itself is an act of liberation. A chain that is seen ceases to be an invisible prison.
Is The Devil in Tarot «Yes» or «No»? In «Yes/No» readings, The Devil in the upright position most often means «No» or «Be careful» — especially if the question concerns relationships or decisions based on fear or dependency. The reversed Devil often means «Yes» — if the question concerns liberation from something destructive. Want to quickly check what the cards say about your question? Use the Tarot «Yes or No» on our website →
What does a reversed Devil mean in a reading? The reversed Devil has two meanings: 1) liberation — a person saw the trap and began to get out of it, awareness of the pattern is already half the work; 2) reinforced denial: the trap exists, but the person categorically refuses to see it, which only worsens the situation. The key question is: is this a movement toward freedom or a deeper plunge into denial?
What does The Devil mean in a love reading? In a love reading, The Devil indicates dependent, toxic, or codependent dynamics in a couple. The partners stay together not out of love, but out of fear, habit, or dependency. For those who are searching, it is a signal of a repeating destructive pattern in the choice of partners. The card suggests honestly exploring what exactly attracts this type of relationship.
What does The Devil mean in a career reading? In a career reading, The Devil is a signal of a professional trap: a job holding you through fear, not a calling; a toxic environment from which it is «impossible to leave»; a financial dependency that deprives you of freedom of choice. The card asks a direct question: are you here because you want to be — or because you are afraid to leave? Read more about frequent requests to a Tarot reader →
What does The Devil mean in a financial reading? In a financial reading, The Devil is a card of material dependency: debts, unfavorable obligations, obsession with money or status. It warns of financial traps: loans with hidden conditions, doubtful partners, destructive financial schemes. The reversed Devil in finance is a sign of the beginning of liberation from financial shackles.
What does The Devil mean as a card of the day? If The Devil falls as the card of the day, it is worth looking closely at your habits and dependencies and honestly naming what holds you not out of love, but out of fear or gain. The reversed card can speak both of the beginning of liberation and of an reinforced denial of an obvious problem. Open the Card of the Day on our website → and find out what awaits you today.
Which psychological archetype corresponds to The Devil card? Carl Gustav Jung («Aion», 1951) described the Shadow — the rejected, suppressed part of the psyche, which rules a person the stronger, the more actively it is denied. The Devil is the Shadow in a concentrated form. The only way out is not to fight the Shadow, but its integration: to recognize dependency, aggression, greed in oneself — and learn to manage them consciously (Carl Gustav Jung, «The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious», 1959). Read more about the connection between Tarot and psychology →
What does it symbolize that the chains on The Devil card hang loosely? This is the main symbol of the card, to which Arthur Edward Waite («Pictorial Key to the Tarot», 1910) drew special attention: the chains can be removed at any moment. The figures remain in captivity not because they cannot leave, but because they do not see that they can. Rachel Pollack («Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom», 1980) interpreted this as a symbol of voluntary imprisonment through unconsciousness: the strongest prison is the one whose doors are not known.
How did Aleister Crowley interpret The Devil card? Aleister Crowley («The Book of Thoth», 1944) associated the card with the archetype of Pan — the Greek god of wild nature and primal life force. For Crowley, The Devil is not the embodiment of evil, but an untamed vitality that becomes destructive only when it remains unconscious and unintegrated. This is in harmony with the Jungian concept of Shadow integration. Read more about different Tarot decks and traditions →
What is the number of The Devil card and what are its main characteristics? The Devil has the number XV (fifteen) in the system of Major Arcana. Main characteristics: element — Earth 🌱, sign — Capricorn, planet — Saturn, keywords in the upright position — addiction, limitation, shadow, temptation, materialism, chains; in the reversed — liberation, breaking of chains, awareness of patterns, shadow work. The number fifteen in Tarot numerology is the number of the illusion of material superiority over the spiritual; the card stands between Temperance (XIV) and The Tower (XVI).
Want to find out what The Devil says about your situation? 😈
If this card appeared in your reading — there is something in your life that holds you with invisible chains. What exactly those chains are, where they came from, and how to remove them — this is already a topic for a live conversation during a consultation. In the meantime, you can get your first milestone right now — open the Card of the Day on our website → or do a full Online Tarot reading → and find out what to pay attention to. 🤗📩 Book an individual consultation and together we will look at what The Devil says about your situation!
Major Arcana of the Tarot
